New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-05-08
SHIPPERS OF THE FLYERS.
CAPTAINS WHO SAIL THE FAST YACHTS

TIE POINTS IN WHICH THEY EXCEL.
Ihe redonbied Interest in yachting and the greatly
,ncrcco Investments In pleasure crafts in the past
few years have given rise to demand for a snecI,I
Grass Oh sailors and sailing For many years
after yachting first gained foothod In this country
almost any able-boded seaman was regarted "a.
good enough TO shear hand, on a Yacht and any
Hasser or mate OF esquire riggcr' "forc-and-
@ftcr was thought competent to take command
sood general nautical knowledge was the chief essen
tia considered in selecting sailing master and tho
salaries paid were not sufficiently large to tempt tho
pest men TO relinquish permanent positions others
whch were likely to last only for the few weeks Of
tho yachting season
Now this is all changed The adoption by tho
various clubs or rules and regulations governing tho
discipline Of their respective ets has had the effect
OF making individual yacht-owners vic with ono
another to establish the best system of discipline ON
tner own boats. Tho code OF yachting etiquette,
"hIh was at first confined to the owners only now
extends TO the officers and tho crews and as resuN
eHo uisciphhe ABOARD weIl-conducted yacht Il az
GOOD as that on o man-of-war. There arc manfold
points III this code which only DO learned through
CONSIDERABLE experience, and to men who have been
accustomed to the FREQ and easy methods prevalent
on tho majority OF merchant vessels practice of
'nein IL naturally irksome They do not or viii NOT
eoprehend tho meaning or,necessity for the scores
oi ntue marks Of courtesy which 90 SO far toward
niaAihg yachting pleasure to ownorss and theirs
suoseS' IL requires man Of more than ordinary
Aoi0o VI CHARACTER TO exact from sailors a proper
respect for these regulations, and those payIeators
VINO are capable Of doing this arc the ones most
sought after to command yachts They must com.
Dine Win this tact for enforcing discipline however,
consummate skill in the handling Of vessels which ara
put under their control and a thorough knowledge
OF the waters in which they are to sail To men Of
this caiiore yachtsmcn willing TO pay good salaries
much better In fact than are paid in the mcrcbanh
service, although the work is not nearly so hard
nor the responsibility so great.
Most navtgators and sailors who once obtain posi.
lions on yachts prefer to remain In that service
rather than undergo the hardships and priyatons
incident to life In the merchant marine, and really
g0od mon are seldom "out Of 1ob.n To sailing.
masters the field opens chances for extended repua-
tons and as consequence, large emolumcnts
Tho best-known, probably, Of all tho yacht COM
manders fs Captain Samuel Samuels, whose career
has been told SO often lately Everybody who takes
interest in marine matters knows of the remark.
ably fast trips he made the Atlantic in tho old
clipper ship Dreadnaught, OF his experience in his
own yacht OF the same name, of his nluck In losing
tho ocean between the Dauntless and the Cam
bra by o little more than an hour and of his plucky
effort to push the Dauntlcss to victory in her ocean
race with the Coronet In March. He is past sixty
years of age. but Ia as vigorous as the average man
OF thirty and although he has now practically retired
from yachting as profession he is as enthusiastic
over 1t as ever, and another race across the
Western Ocean proposed he would undoubtedly assume
is kept busy figuring up tho profits on his book,
"From Forecastle to Cabin"
Another of the who have acquired fame
through yachting is "Joe" Ellsworth, who may be-
safely called tho pioneer OF sailing masters. He Is
sixty years old and 1t Is commonly believed that he
began sailing boats before he dispensed with his bib
and tucker. Most Of his life spent in tho
oyster trade, and it was in sailing about In his oyster
sloops that he acquired knowledge Of tho tides and
currents In New-York Harbor which is unequalled.
He first became prominent through his connection
with tho schooner Comet during her successful racing
career and has participated in nearly every import
ant over the New-York Yacht Club course since
1t is said ofhim that If there Is any speed in boat
he can get it out Of her, and that he tell hour
beforehand where there win be q puff Of wind, and
what is more-that he will be there to take advan-
tage Of it Ho has made q comfortable fortune in
the oyster business and has a handsome home in
In BayOnne N. j..
Captain w. l. Stone, who sailed the Maynower To
victory last year. was o Pcnobscot fisherman before
he tried his luck at yachting. He has been in
General Paines employ several,years having been In
charge of the schooner Halcyon until
the cup-hoder built. He will this
season "rule the roost" on tho schooner
clytie, which belongs to Alanson Tucker, "
Boston. -
Serene Dayton. known by his friends
as "serene" is one OF the veteran
yacht commanders, his term Of service
Julia, starlight, Magic and Wanderer among the
well-known boats that have won cups through ~
management For tho last three years he has fol-
lowed the fortunes Of tho schooner Resolute.
Captain "Ed" Cooley Is said to be the bestpad
sailing master in the New-York Yacht Clubs feet.
He halls from Shrewsbury and acquired his knowledge
OF yacht-handling with his brother George on the
schooner Idler. Tho schooner Clytie was In his
charge for several prior to 1856, when
modoro A. Cass Candcd induced him to apply his
knowledge aud skill to sailing the Priscilla Exten-
siye alterations have been made to that flyer under
his direction this year, and he sees no reason now
why she should not DO chosen u lead the Thistle
around tho
"Hank, Hof. who VIII command General Paine's
steel sioop-called tho Nameless because hen
owner refuses to give her name-s six feet tall,
wears heavy musache and pointed goatee. and looks
Like MaJor-Genera than o sailor lie Is d
native Of the south shore oil Long Island where
many Of best navlgators get their nrst practical
lessons. The sloop Fanny had the benefit Oh bis
superior skin for many years, and her owhers hayo
Ing Just when to trim his sheet Just when to put
down mis- helm and just what his opponent Is going
to do III race.
Captain ed" wicks enjoys distinction OF being
tho commander OF the flagship OK tao New-iorh laene
Club heee, Commodore Eibridso y. Gerrys steamer
more than half his life on yachts. The lxen was
Oracle and Dauntless when Commodore Waller nod
them, and tho poynia when ". r. douglass private
ensign at her masthead
Captain Belmont, OF the yesta, is ono Of the lew
orIulenI IN tho squadron. lie weighs 30
pounds and Is as jolly a. he Is fat. Tho Faustine,
Viking, Emengapo and CIytio among the yachts
40 Commanded before he took the Nesta
Captain "samo Gibson has had an extended eNpe-
Hence racing. nearly years be stecied
he vixen In her Inumerable encounters with tho
ieetest Of her Kind and remarkably successful
Priscilla his hands during her first season.
nd last year the CTcIc made good recOni under his
harge. lilo II always ques and uncominunlcauvo
demeanor, anu is cool IN race as &C anchor.
CAPTAIN Morrison of the Alva Is thorough sea-
nan an exceptionally good navigator and u strict
scipllarian. Hu about fifty three years ola, n,e
lnches tall and Mears clOse-clO kle4